Next Cash and Carry, one of Abuja’s biggest shopping malls has been gutted by fire.
The mall which is situated in the Jahi Area of the Federal Capital Territory went up in flames around 10:00 am Sunday morning.
Thick smoke can be seen around the mall as emergency operatives tried to salvage the situation.
The cause of the fire is unknown at the time of this report.
The roads have however been closed and the fire service are still trying to contain the fire.
The Head of Search and Rescue National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Abuja, Labuan Ahman however called on mutual aid fire services for support.
The whole of Next Cash and Carry is on fire. We have the FCT and Federal Fire Services on the ground. We are calling on all mutual aid fire services to deploy to Next Cash and Carry. The mutual aid fire services are Julius Berger, CBN, and then the Armed Forces.
“We are calling on the Armed Forces, the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, and the Army to provide support as they usually do,” Ahman said.
He stressed that they need urgent assistance to put out the fire which as at the time of this report has destroyed the major part of the entire building including the roof.
Meanwhile, in a video that has now gone viral, residents were seen rushing to the mall looting various items.
